Politics
Norfolk DA-elect Djuna Perkins Pledges Grand Jury Probe into Stoughton Police Youth Program After Farwell Conviction
Incoming Norfolk District Attorney Djuna Perkins announced she will convene an investigative grand jury into the Stoughton Police Department's Youth Explorers Program, where convicted murderer Matthew Farwell met his victim Sandra Birchmore, and will audit the DA's office.
Norfolk District Attorney-elect Djuna Perkins has committed to launching an investigative grand jury into the Stoughton Police Department's Youth Explorers Program, the initiative where former officer Matthew Farwell first encountered Sandra Birchmore, whose 2021 death he was convicted of causing in federal court on Tuesday. Perkins, who takes office in January, also pledged to conduct a comprehensive audit of the district attorney's office.
The announcement came a day after a federal jury found Farwell guilty of killing Birchmore, a young woman who had been a participant in the Stoughton Police Explorers program, a youth law enforcement training initiative. Farwell, who served as a Stoughton police officer and was involved with the Explorers, was accused of sexually exploiting Birchmore when she was a teenager and later killing her to cover up the abuse. Birchmore was 23 when she died in 2021; her death was initially ruled a suicide before federal authorities reopened the case.
The conviction has roiled the town of Stoughton, where residents have demanded accountability for the police department's handling of the program and the officers involved. Perkins, a former prosecutor and defense attorney, won the Norfolk DA race on a platform emphasizing transparency and reform. Her promise to use an investigative grand juryâa tool that can compel testimony and subpoena recordsâsignals a broad inquiry into how the Explorers program was run and whether other vulnerabilities existed.
"The community deserves answers about how this happened and what safeguards failed," Perkins said in a statement. "An investigative grand jury will allow us to examine the program's oversight and hold accountable anyone who enabled this tragedy."
The audit of the DA's office, Perkins added, will review case handling and office policies to restore public trust. The Stoughton Police Department has not commented on the planned investigation. The Youth Explorers Program, common in many departments, aims to introduce young people to law enforcement careers but has faced scrutiny nationally over inadequate supervision.
Perkins' move comes as Stoughton residents are also calling for the reinstatement of suspended Police Chief Donna McNamara, who was placed on leave amid the fallout from the Farwell case. The incoming DA's investigation could further intensify scrutiny of the department's leadership and practices.
Legal experts say the grand jury probe could take months and may lead to additional charges or systemic reforms. For now, Perkins' vow marks a significant escalation in the effort to understand the failures that allowed a predator to operate within a youth program and ultimately take a young woman's life.